CentraState Healthcare System Nurse receives March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award

The March of Dimes New Jersey chapter is pleased to announce that Little Silver resident Rebecca Norton from CentraState Healthcare System in Freehold received the 2015 March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award in the Surgical Services category.

Through Nurse of the Year Awards, the March of Dimes recognizes nurses who demonstrate exceptional patient care, compassion, and service. Whether serving as a health care provider, educator, researcher, or chapter volunteer/advisor, these nurses have played a critical role in improving the health of New Jersey’s mothers and babies. Nurse of the Year Awards celebrate the nursing profession and creates awareness of the recent strides made in this growing field.

Rebecca Norton CNOR, BSN, BLS is a Registered Nurse in the Operating Room at CentraState Healthcare System. She was part of starting a post-operative time-out program that tracks specimens, wound class, diagnosis, plus room and equipment issues, has achieved large improvements in her unit of the goal to reduce immediate use steam sterilization and partnered with a surgeon to rewrite the hospital’s website on robotic surgery. She developed and is currently conducting a study comparing postoperative pain levels between patients undergoing robotic single site gallbladder removal versus traditional laparoscopic gallbladder removal.

“We could not do the work of the March of Dimes without the passion and commitment of our nurses. This is our opportunity to show them how special they truly are,” said Allie Hall, Central Division Executive Director, New Jersey Chapter of the March of Dimes.

More than 196 nurses were nominated in 19 different award categories. New Jersey award recipients were announced at a special awards gala held on November 18, 2015 at Pines Manor in Edison, which had a record attendance of over 500 people. At the event there were 115 finalists which represented 48 hospitals and healthcare facilities. The event raised over $90,000 to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.